Size of the Largest Arterio-Venous Vessels in Various Organs

Abstract

By perfusing air or mercury into the arterial vessels of various organs and noting the pressure required to cause the fluid to pass through to the venous side, the diameters of the largest arterio-venous vessels in the organs were measured. The relationship between diam. and required pressure is expressed by the formula [image] where K depends on the units of measurement. No A-V vessels larger than 25 [mu] in internal diam. were found in the kidney, intestines and lungs of the rat or rabbit. A-V anastomoses were found in the liver of both spp. and in the hind legs and tail of the rat and the rabbit''s ear.